DIY Cleansing Oil
Also filed inGo Natural

This is the best DIY cleansing oil for removing makeup and impurities after a long day! It feels fantastic on your skin and gives a real boost to the skin’s moisture levels. Enjoy the recipe!
There’s something unique about a DIY cleansing oil. Perhaps it’s because it works so much better than anything you can buy in stores or online (that’s our opinion anyhow!)
This cleansing oil is a firm favorite in our household. We use it as a key homemade makeup remover and skin revitalizer – it brightens and moisturizes our skin while cleaning it thoroughly at the same time.
The consistency is far better too, when you make your own DIY cleansing oil. The feeling of it on the skin is wonderful – so silky and smooth.
Used as a cleansing staple, homemade cleansing oil is a great alternative to conventional face cleansers.
Honestly, this stuff is great at removing dirt and debris from the face after a long hard day!
In this note, you’ll find our personal recipe for a DIY face cleansing oil that is wonderful to use on sensitive and dry skin in particular (although all skin types can use it.)
Read on to find the recipe and instructions.

What is cleansing oil?
A cleansing oil is a facial cleaner with an oil base. They’re designed to remove makeup and impurities better than conventional cleansers without completely stripping the face of its natural oils.
The oily base ‘grips’ makeup and dirt, resulting in a more thorough cleansing action when using a cleansing oil.
A typical cleansing oil contains various oils, from olive oil to coconut oil and sunflower oil, as is in this recipe.
The best thing about cleansing oils is they won’t dry out the skin. If anything, they help add moisture back in while removing makeup simultaneously.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s natural – containing only naturally sourced oils and ingredients, making it safe and enjoyable to use.
- It’s easy to make – simply add the ingredients to the bottle, shake to mix, and apply!
- It’s effective – this cleansing oil removes makeup and impurities while adding moisture back into your skin.
Recipe ingredients

- Argan oil – is a wonderfully natural and moisture-boosting oil that helps lift off makeup and impurities to leave skin soft and clean.
- Sunflower oil – is an anti-inflammatory oil being lightweight and nurturing to the skin. This complements the Argan oil and helps cleanse skin while adding moisture.
- Cromollient SCE – is a common ingredient found in cosmetics, arising from natural, renewable sources. It improves the solubility of the oils so that the solution mixes well. Cromollient SCE also helps the cleanser spread evenly without leaving a heavy residue. If you have particularly dry skin, you could leave this out because the oils would do the job perfectly well for your skin type.
- Vitamin E oil – is an antioxidant and a very popular ingredient in skincare for its anti-aging properties.
- Rosemary oil – is an excellent addition to this cleansing solution. With its non-comedogenic properties, it leaves the skin refreshed and revitalized.
How to Make Cleansing Oil
- Add all the ingredients to a 6 oz dropper bottle.
- Secure the lid and shake well to combine.
- Apply several drops to the palm of your hand and gently rub it into the skin in a circular motion.
- Rinse with cool water or a damp washcloth.
- Follow up with a light homemade facial moisturizer.


Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it last?
The shelf life of this DIY cleansing oil is 1-year from the day it’s made, so long as it’s stored correctly in a dry place out of sunlight and the lid is secured properly after each use.
Is cleansing oil better than face wash?
We would say this is down to personal preference. Many heavy makeup users prefer using a cleansing oil because it appears to remove the makeup more thoroughly.
Some people may find a cleansing oil to be just that – too oily! In this case, a DIY face wash or a homemade cleansing gel may be better.
Try it and see how you like it. Though, if you know for sure that you don’t like oil-based cleansers – don’t bother with them. Use what works for you best.
Should we use cleansing oil every day?
You certainly can use a cleansing oil every day, yes. It can be used instead of or alongside your normal cleansing ritual.

Will cleansing oil loosen makeup?
Yes, cleansing oil is designed to loosen and dissolve makeup, removing it completely. The cromollient SCE helps the cleansing oil rinse off your face once you’re done.
Do we have to use Cromollient SCE?
We add cromollient SCE to our DIY cleansing oils because we feel it improves the spreadability and texture of the cleanser. You could also use polyglyceryl-4 oleate as a substitution.
It also acts as a solubilizer helping the solution stay mixed together, and helps the cleanser wash off once cleansing is completed.
Now, you can leave this out if you wish. If you want this product to be purely oil-based, then sure, go ahead and omit it.
Because of the type of skin we have, we add it in, but we have known this cleanser to work well on dry skin if you only use the oils and the rosemary.
It’s a personal choice again, so it’s up to you whether you add it or leave it out.
Key Takeaways
We love using cleansing oils to quickly remove makeup or just that dirty, grimy feeling after a long day.
And unlike traditional cleansers, we don’t have to worry about using this daily and exposing our skin to any unnecessary toxins.
The best part, by far, is not how well this product works by removing impurities, but how our face feels after using it! So give it a try, and let me know what you think!
We love hearing from you, so if you made this recipe, leave a comment letting me know how it worked, and if you loved it, leave a review!
For more great recipes, consider one of these next.
- DIY clarifying shampoo
- Homemade glowing skin face mask
- Top 10 face steaming benefits
- DIY charcoal peel-off mask
- How to make a natural under eye mask
DIY Cleansing Oil
By the studio Ascher Prep: 5 minutes minsActive: 5 minutes minsTotal: 10 minutes mins Yield: 4.5 oz
SaveSaved Pin Print Enjoyable to make and fantastic as an all round cleanser and makeup remover. Equipment
- 6 oz dropper bottle
- Cleansing cloth or muslin cloth
Ingredients
- 2 oz of argan oil
- 2 oz of sunflower oil
- 18 drops of cromollient SCE
- 9 drops of vitamin e oil
- 1 drop of rosemary extract
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a 6 oz dropper bottle.
- Secure the lid and shake well to combine.
- Apply several drops to the palm of your hand and gently rub it into the skin in a circular motion.
- Rinse with cool water or a damp washcloth.
- Follow up with a light facial moisturizer.








